Material-handling system

ABSTRACT

A material-handling system for factory or plant use wherein a plurality of scrap storage bins can be positioned in places where waste is to be accumulated, and a forklift mounted subframe can be used for picking up each of the bins separately, and tilting them to dump them.

United States Patent 72] Inventor Charles D. Monson Coon Rapids, Minn. [21 Appl. No. 840,325 [22] Filed July 9, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 19, 1971 [73] Assignee Inventors Engineering Inc.

Minneapolis, Minn.

[54] MATERIAL-HANDLIN G SYSTEM 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 214/313, 214/621 [51] Int. Cl B65b 21/02 [50] Field otSearch 214/313, 315, 317, 621

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,492,675 5/1924 Clark et a1. 214/315 X 3,307,724 3/1967 Miller 214/313 3,438,523 4/1969 Vik 214/313 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Jerold M. Forsberg Attorney-Dugger, Peterson, Johnson & Westman ABSTRACT: A material-handling system for factory or plant use wherein a plurality of scrap storage bins can be positioned in places where waste is to be accumulated, and a forklift mounted subframe can be used for picking up each of the bins separately, and tilting them to dump them.

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- Irma/vars PATENTEnnm 19 IQTI FILE! 2' SHEET 2 BF 2 HUM lNVIiN'/()I 4 CHAR LES D M00801!) Irrozwzys MATERIAL-HANDLING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for disposing of waste products wherein individual containers can be lifted, carried and dumped.

2. The Prior Art Various load handling and dumping mechanisms have been advanced, for example that shown in US. Pat. No. 2,829,789 which utilizes a hydraulic dump for the storage bin or container. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 2,689,054 shows a load handling and dumping mechanism that can be mounted onto a forklift truck, and dumped by manually pulling out a stop member, but it does not use the unique hydraulic subframe that can be slipped onto the forks of a conventional forklift truck as shown in the present application. US. Pat. No. 3,307,724 also shows another dumping arrangement which has a device that slips onto the forks of a forklift truck, but has complex releasing hydraulic cylinders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a simple, easily manufactured and easily operated waste container handling and dumping system where a plurality of containers can be stationed or stored at locations in which waste is to be accumulated. A separate assembly that is slipped onto the forks of a conventional forklift truck is used for lifting individual containers. The containers are carried on the frame assembly to a place where they are to be dumped into a larger storage container or into a regulardisposal area, and at that time the forklift truck can be raised to raise the frame. The frame has a subframe that is tilted to in turn tilt the container and dump it.

Hydraulic cylinders are used for tilting the subframe and are operated from the hydraulic system of the forklift truck. The subframe is made so that a very simple connection can be made to the containers to be dumped so that they can be quickly and easily picked up for transport.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a container for waste materials and a frame assembly made according to the present invention showing the device in place on the forks of a forklift truck;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 1 with the container shown in dotted lines;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the container and subframe in the dumping position, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken as on line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A material handling and dumping assembly illustrated generally at includes a frame assembly illustrated generally at 11, and a large storage hopper or container 12. The container 12 is open topped, and as shown has a sloping front wall 13, sidewalls 14, and a rear wall 15. The container is mounted onto transverse support members comprising a front support member 16 and a rear support member 17 which keeps the bottom of the container 12 up off the floor, and therefore keeps the bottom side edges up off the floor as well. The support member 17 may be narrower than the support member 16 so that it can slide easily between the forks of a forklift truck.

The frame assembly 11 includes a base frame 20 which has two spaced-apart tubular members 21,21 of rectangular cross section that are joined together with a heavy rear crossmember 22, so that they are a rigid U-shaped assembly. The tubular members 21,21 are of size so that they will slip over the forks 23 of a forklift truck illustrated generally at 24. The forks are mounted onto cross members 25 that can be raised and lowered through upright forklift rails 26 in a conventional manner.

The forward ends of the tubular members 21 have a central projecting member illustrated at 27 (FIG. 3) fixedly attached thereto; There is a separate member 27 'on'each'of the tubular members 21, and these members 27 are used for pivotally mounting a tiltsu'bframe assembly 30. The tilt subframe assembly 30 is positioned on top of the tubular members 21 and its crossmember 22, and comprises angle iron section side rails 31,31 and a'rear crossmember 32 that joins the siderails 31 together also making a forwardly open U-shaped subframe. As shown, one leg of the angle iron extends upwardly for each of therails 31,31 and the crossmember 32, and the bottom legs of the angle irons are on the same plane. The rails 31,31 are each provided with a pair of depending ears 33'which are fixedly attached to these rails and are positioned on opposite sides of the corresponding members 27. A pin 34 is passed through each set of the ears 33 and through its corresponding member 27 to pivotally mount'the tilting subframe assembly to the base frame 20.

The movement of the tilt subframe assembly 30 with respect to the base frame iscontrolled through the use of a pair of conventional double-acting hydraulic-piston cylinder assemblies illustrated generally at 35. There is one of these cylinder assemblies on each side of the tilt subframe, and each is mounted as at 36 to an upright lug fixed to the base frame, and the rod ends (which will extend and retract) are mounted as at 37 to brackets 38 on the tilt frame. The point of attachment 37 is vertically spaced from the pivot pin 34, so that upon extension of cylinders 35 (which act in parallel) there is a torque or moment exerted onto the tilt subframe about the pivot pins 34 tending to rotate the tilt subframe about these pivot pins.

The cylinders 35 are controlled through an ordinary valve from a hydraulic source on the forklift truck. The valve handle 41 controls flow of fluid from a pump through a valve to the cylinder assemblies 35, and the cylinder assemblies 35 are double acting, or in other words they can exert a force on the rod tending to extend the rod, and also can exert a force in direction tending to retract the rod.

The rear crossmember 32 of the frame is provided with an opening therethrough in the center thereof, and a small tab 42 which is fixedly attached to the container 12 extends through this opening. A latch member 46 (shown as a lock pin) can be inserted through the tab to hold the container 12 from sliding with respect to the tilt subframe when it is dumped. The membets 31,31 of the tilt subframe are spaced apart so they will slip down along the sides 14 of the container 12, and the support members 16 and 17 are high enough so that the horizontal legs of the members 31 can slip underneath the bottom of the container 12. Thus the containers can be resting on the ground on their support members 16 and 17, and the frame assembly 11 can be mounted onto the forks of a forklift truck, the forklift truck can be driven so that the container is slid onto the tilt subframe, and fastened in place at the latch member 46. Then the forks can be lifted and the container carried to a dumping spot. The forks will then be lifted as shown in FIG. 3, and the cylinders 35 will be extended through the operation of valve handle 41 causing fluid under pressure to How into the base end of the cylinders extending the rods of the cylinders to exert a moment rotating the tilt subframe 30 about the pivot pin 34 and dumping the container 12.

The cylinders will then be retracted, and the container can be returned to its desired place. At this time the latch 46 will be released, and the forklift truck will be backed up removing the frame assembly 11 which comprises the base frame 20 and the tilt subframe 30 from this container. Then the forklift can be run to a second container 12 and this second container can be picked up, carried to the dumping spot, and dumped.

When the cleanup work is done, the frame assembly can be removed from the forklift truck merely by disengaging a holding chain 47 which holds the frame onto the forks, disconnecting conventional quick-couplers on the hydraulic lines, and backing the forklift truck off the frame assembly. Thus a very low-cost, easily operated, and highly maneuverable load-handling assembly is made possible.

What is claimed is:

l. A material-handling system comprising a container, and means for moving and dumping said container comprising a main frame assembly, said main frame assembly including spaced-apart side frame members, and a rear crossmember joining said side frame members, said side frame members comprising tubular means of size to fit over the spaced-apart forks of a forklift means, means for retaining said main frame assembly on said forks, a subframe, means to pivotally mount said subframe on said main frame, said subframe including a pair of spaced-apart side frame members and rear frame member, said side frame members and rear frame member of said subframe comprising substantially horizontal wall sections extending around the sides and rear of said subframe, and upright vertical wall sections joined to said horizontal wall sections, said means to pivotally mount said subframe on said main frame including a separate pivot connecting each of the side frame members of said subframe to the corresponding side frame members of said main frame at the forward end of the main frame, said subframe and said main frame forming an opening facing in forwardly direction, said container being of size to fit between the vertical wall sections of the side frame members of said subframe and rest on the horizontal wall sections of the subframe, said container having a bottom wall and support means for supporting the bottom wall thereof in spaced relationship to a supporting surface, said support means being positioned in the center portion of said container and spaced from the sides of the container to fit between the side frame members of both said subframe and said main frame, means to retain said container on said subframe when it is positioned on the horizontal wall means of said subframe, and power means for controlling the pivotal position of said subframe about its pivots comprising means positioned on the opposite side frame members of said main frame, and acting between said main frame and said subframe to selectively cause said subframe to tilt relative to said main frame.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said power means comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinders, one cylinder mounted on each of said side frame members of said main frame and connected to control the corresponding side frame member of the subframe. 

1. A material-handling system comprising a container, and means for moving and dumping said container comprising a main frame assembly, said main frame assembly including spaced-apart side frame members, and a rear crossmember joining said side frame members, said side frame members comprising tubular means of size to fit over the spaced-apart forks of a forklift means, means for retaining said main frame assembly on said forks, a subframe, means to pivotally mount said subframe on said main frame, said subframe including a pair of spaced-apart side frame members and rear frame member, said side frame members and rear frame member of said subframe comprising substantially horizontal wall sections extending around the sides and rear of said subframe, and upright vertical wall sections joined to said horizontal wall sections, said means to pivotally mount said subframe on said main frame including a separate pivot connecting each of the side frame members of said subframe to the corresponding side frame members of said main frame at the forward end of the main frame, said subframe and said main frame forming an opening facing in forwardly direction, said container being of size to fit between the vertical wall sections of the side frame members of said subframe and rest on the horizontal wall sections of the subframe, said container having a bottom wall and support means for supporting the bottom wall thereof in spaced relationship to a supporting surface, said support means being positioned in the center portion of said container and spaced from the sides of the container to fit between the side frame members of both said subframe and said main frame, means to retain said container on said subframe when it is positioned on the horizontal wall means of said subframe, and power means for controlling the pivotal position of said subframe about its pivots comprising means positioned on the opposite side frame members of said main frame, and acting between said main frame and said subframe to selectively cause said subframe to tilt relative to said main frame.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said power means comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinders, one cylinder mounted on each of said side frame members of said main frame and connected to control the corresponding side frame member of the subframe. 